


A Merman's Song

by ParadoxProphet



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, The Little Mermaid - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, F/M, Little Mermaid AU, Little Mermaid Elements, Muteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 12:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3446999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParadoxProphet/pseuds/ParadoxProphet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ishimaru had always dreamed of going up to the surface, but when he saves the life of a princess he finds himself caught up in a deal. A deal that could cost him his life...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ishimaru had always wanted to see the surface. Being a young merman, he constantly heard the stories his friends told him about the land above. They enchanted him, made him want to see the land above for himself. But he knew the rules, only once he was of age could he see the world above. A rule that held even more so being a prince. So all he could do was wait patiently for the day his turn would come as he listened to the stories his friends would tell. Of course, it only made him more anxious to see what lied beyond the waters. What wonders would he see in the land above? What stories would he be able to tell?

To pass the time until his sixteenth birthday, he would not only immerse himself in the tales of the surface, but also collected the treasures that fell from the world above and kept them inside a hidden grotto that only his most trusted friend Mondo knew about. He knew little about what many of the items he collected did, he lived a sheltered life in the palace so all he knew were the things that his friends told him about. But the items fascinated him so that he couldn't help but wonder what purpose they had.

The end of August arrived, and his time had come. His father, the Sea King, gave him the shell necklace which showed he had reached the appropriate age. Ishimaru's friends, Mondo, Leon, and Chihiro were all there to watch him go, jokingly telling him not to get caught by any humans. He reassured them that he would be careful, and swam up to the surface. It was dark, but the moon shined down on the waves. Dark clouds were forming in the sky, but he payed no mind. His focus was on seeing the wonders of this world. Having heard about it for so long, surely there must be something about it that would make him want to come back.

In the corner of his eye, Ishimaru spotted something large floating on top of the water. Curious, he swam closer towards it. He initially mistook it for a whale, but then he recognized what it was from seeing it before. It was a ship. He had seen many of them ruined and broken on the ocean floor, so to see one working was a delightful sight. From the top he could hear the sounds of laughter and music, and he wished he could join in their songs. Beautiful colored lights shined from the lanterns hanging around it, making him recall the stories told to him about these ships. Occasionally, a booming sound came from above him, and he gazed up at brilliant lights that looked like stars falling around him. He believed they were called fireworks from what he could remember, and they were used in celebrations. This ship was amazing! Truly he was witnessing an amazing sight! He pondered on how it was able to stay afloat, something his friends had never told him, when his gaze caught a figure standing by the edge.

Standing on top of the boat, staring out at the waters, was a girl who looked no older than he was. But something was different from the mermaids Ishimaru was acquainted with. While she looked like one of his own from the top half of her body, she lacked a tail. In it's place were a pair of limbs. Was this girl a human? She had to be, no member of his kind would be lacking a tail. The stories he had been told about humans raced through his head, making the poor boy confused. His friends had told him that humans were horrible creatures that looked hideously deformed. But this one didn't look anything like that. Aside from the strange limbs in place of a tail, which he remembered were called legs, she looked just fine. In fact, Ishimaru found himself drawn to her. She looked rather beautiful. He wanted to speak to her, the tongue of humans was no different from that of the merpeople from what he had been told, but he was always warned never to approach humans. They were rumored to kill his people on sight or capture them, and while he wanted to speak to this beauty he wouldn't dare break that rule. But surely there was a way he could approach her...

A sound coming from the ship startled Ishimaru, causing him to hide behind a nearby rock. He was lucky the beautiful girl hadn't spotted him, she seemed lost in her own thoughts, but if that sound was another human then he wasn't going to risk it. He peeked his head out to see the events unfolding above. Another girl approached the first one, this one wearing something over her eyes. She reminded him of a human his friend Mondo had described after his first trip to the surface, it had been the only instance that he had heard a human be described kindly.

"Shizuka, why are you standing here all by yourself?" The girl asked. "This party is for you after all."

The first girl, who's name was Shizuka, sighed as she continued looking out at the ocean. "I don't see much reason to be celebrating, Chisato." she said, her voice only matching her beauty. "Not with the way my father's been pressuring me."

"It isn't your fault you can't find a suitor." The one called Chisato said, trying to reassure her. "Most of those princes were stuck-up jerks anyway."

"But if I don't choose someone soon, I'll be forced to marry a man I don't love!" Matsuki said. "And I'd rather wait until I find someone I love." Ishimaru's heart raced, she didn't have a lover! Wait, why did that matter to him? Sure, she was beautiful and unlike any woman he'd ever seen, but he couldn't actually be in love with her. Right?

"Just give it some time, I'm sure you'll find someone." Chisato said.

"I don't know. It seems like I've met almost every prince in the nearby kingdoms, there isn't many other options open for me." Matsuki said.

"The right guy is out there, you just haven't found him yet." Chisato said. "It's not like he'll just swim up to you after all."

"I know." Matsuki said, sighing again. "I'm just starting to lose hope." She continued looking out at the water, her eyes glancing over at Ishimaru's hiding place. Her eyebrows raised as she looked over the rock. "Chisato, do you see something over there?" She pointed to the rock, causing Ishimaru to duck behind it completely.

"No, it's just a rock." Chisato said. "I think the stress of this whole marriage thing is getting to you."

"Strange, I could've sworn I saw something." Matsuki said.

"Come on, enjoy the party for a while and take your mind off of things. It'll do you some good." Chisato said. Ishimaru peeked out from behind the rock again, seeing Chisato drag Matsuki away from the edge. Matsuki looked back at the rock with a sad expression, not noticing him.

"Shizuka..." Ishimaru muttered to himself. "How I wish I could help you..."

He continued to watch the ship throughout the evening, keeping an eye on the beautiful girl who had stolen his heart.  Every now and then, she'd return to the spot he first her and look out at the ocean with a melancholy expression. He was so tempted to swim out from behind the rock and show himself, but it wasn't allowed. Not even his rulebreaker friends dared to approach a human, so for him to do it would be unthinkable. He was so focused watching the humans, he barely missed the sound of booming that echoed throughout the area. He looked above him, finding that the stars were completely covered by the clouds. The wind felt like it hit him from behind as drops of water fell from the sky. A bright light flashed in the sky, and suddenly the music and cheers on the ship stopped. The waves felt fierce, causing Ishimaru to get worried.

All of a sudden, a commotion seemed to arise on the ship. Voices mixed together, including Matsuki and Chisato's, as the ship began to move. Ishimaru had a bad feeling about what was about to happen, so he followed the ship from behind. He knew he shouldn't be doing such a thing, but he had to. No harm would come to him, but the people on board were in terrible danger. The ship made creaking noises, and a bolt of light struck the white sails that allowed the boat to move. Another bolt struck the side of the ship. Red lights erupted from where they struck, sending the humans into a panic. They began to gather into smaller boats, which worried Ishimaru when he couldn't see Matsuki on them. He looked back up at the ship, which was starting to crumble and fall apart, hoping to see her. She was covering her mouth and coughing from the smoke caused by the red lights covering the ship. She was trying to find her way to the smaller ships. Having a hard time seeing, she stumbled at the edge of the ship, falling into the waters below.

At first, Ishimaru was pleased. He could see her, she was safe! But as he prepared to swim down below and greet her, he remembered something Leon had told him.

_"The one advantage we have against humans is that they can't breathe down here! If a human came underwater, they'd drown and die!"_

His eyes went wide. He couldn't let her drown! She was too beautiful to perish! He swam down to her as fast as he could. She was attempting to swim to the surface, but the garment she wore was weighing her down. She struggled, her legs and arms giving out as her eyes closed. Ishimaru grabbed onto her just as her strength vanished and raised her head above the water. He found a floating piece of wood from the ruined ship, resting her body against it as he followed the waves to the shore.

The storm eventually ended, but Matsuki refused to wake up. She continued to rest against the board as the sun rose over the horizon. Had he been too late to save her? Was she already dead? No, he couldn't think like that. As if by luck, the shore was in sight. As the water began to recede, Ishimaru removed the board and let the waves carry them onto the beach. He rested her body against the sand, hoping she would wake up. The forest and hills behind the beach were beautiful, but nowhere near as beautiful as the girl. If only he knew how human bodies worked, maybe then he could help her. But as is, he didn't even know if she was breathing.

"Please wake up." he said, placing his hand on her cheek. Her skin felt so smooth, almost as if it were made of stone. He began to look around her body for any sign that she was still alive, pausing when his hand rested against her chest and he felt it rise. Relief washed over him. She was alive! Yet her eyes wouldn't open. He moved a strand of wet hair from her face. He wanted her to wake up, but he didn't know how. Perhaps if she heard his voice...

Figuring that he had the answer, Ishimaru began to sing. Rarely did he do so, but he was told that he had the most beautiful voice in all the seas. If this couldn't wake her up, nothing would. Slowly, her eyes began to open. Eyes half-open, she looked at Ishimaru and listened to his voice. It was so beautiful. Did this red-eyed man save her life? "W...Who..."

"Shizuka!" The call of her name startled Ishimaru, causing him to stop singing and retreat to the water. Matsuki tried to sit up, her eyes fully opening as she attempted to search for the man who saved her. But the beach was empty. Was it a hallucination? No, it couldn't be. She heard his voice, felt someone touching her skin. Someone rescued her from drowning, but who? The sound of footsteps alerted her to the presence of others, seeing Chisato and a small group of others coming towards her.

Ishimaru hid behind a large rock, watching as Matsuki was surrounded by the other girls. They asked her what happened to her, how she survived, if she was okay. She tried to answer the questions, but kept saying that she didn't know. He was glad she was alright, but saddened by the fact that she didn't know he had saved her.

"How did you get all the way out here on your own?" Chisato asked.

"I don't know." Matsuki answered. "But...I think someone saved my life... As I woke up, I saw this handsome young man with red eyes. And he was singing to me with the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. I think he rescued me..."

"Shizuka, I think the seawater got to your head." Chisato said. "No one else is here, and there aren't any footprints to indicate someone brought you here."

"But I know I saw him! He's real, Chisato!" Matsuki insisted. "His voice was clear as day, I couldn't forget it if I tried."

"You need to come back to the castle, your father is worried sick about you and you need some rest." Chisato said, taking hold of Matsuki's arm and leading her away. She didn't believe a word of what she said. Ishimaru could only watch as his beautiful treasure was taken away, saddened by her disappearance. With a heavy heart, he returned underwater and swam away to his home, the thought of Matsuki stuck in his mind.

Of course, his friends instantly hounded him with questions about his journey. Of what he saw in the world above. "So, what grabbed your attention?" Leon asked. "You've been gone all night, so you must've seen something good."

Ishimaru didn't want to answer him, but he knew none of them would leave until they got an answer. "I saw nothing." he said, unable to look any of them in the face.

"Nothing?" All three of his friends asked in unison, unwilling to believe him.

"Surely you must have seen something." Chihiro said. "Like the beauty of the mountain tops or the graceful birds?"

"Or the great ships humans sail in?" Mondo asked.

"No, I saw nothing." Ishimaru repeated. "Nothing at all." He swam away, hoping to avoid them so as not to remember. His friends were so confused. Ishimaru had waited for so long to turn 16 and see the surface, for him to find nothing of wonder seemed impossible. Was he hiding something?

They couldn't get the answers out of him, as he refused to speak about it. Days passed since Ishimaru saved her, and Matsuki refused to leave his thoughts. At night he dreamed about her, being able to swim with her and serenade her with his voice. He dreamed of holding her close and touching her smooth skin, of kissing her deep under the waves. The dreams did nothing to soothe his heart, causing him to sneak off and visit the beach where he last saw her. Rarely if ever did he see her, and whenever she was there someone else was there with her. He wouldn't dare show his face to another human, he wouldn't dare. Even when he tried to distract himself, the world seemed to remind him of her.

Mondo couldn't stand to see his best friend like this. The once enthusiastic prince was now sulking and alone. He rarely smiled and didn't even speak of his troubles. So he tried to take matters into his own hands.

"I think I found something from a sunken ship that you'll find interesting." he told him one day. "You can stick it in that grotto of human junk. I'll help you move it there, too!"

Ishimaru figured doing so would help take his mind off of Matsuki. He hadn't been to his grotto in so long, nor had he gone hunting for trinkets from the wreckages. Surely whatever Mondo had discovered would be amazing enough to distract him even momentarily.

But what he brought him to only made him feel worse.

Sitting at the bottom of the ocean floor was a marble statue, barely damaged despite being down in the water for days. The statue was in the shape of a human, one that he recognized far too well. Matsuki. It must have been from her ship the day he saved her. It looked just like her. "What'cha think? Pretty nifty, huh?" Mondo asked, unaware of the merman prince's feelings. "I saw this a few days ago and thought it'd look fucking sweet in your secret hideout. Wonder who this girl is though. Must be pretty damn important if she's got a statue, huh."

Ishimaru didn't answer. He just swam up closely to the statue, looking at it's face and placing his hand on it's cheek. No matter where he went, Matsuki would haunt him. Why? Why did he have to save her life? Why did he come across her ship? Why did he have to fall in love with a human? He couldn't even show his face or speak to her! How he wished that he could be close to her once again, if only for a moment, so he may speak to her.

"Hey, um, what's the matter with you?" Mondo asked, his arms crossed. Mondo was not a very patient person, and his anger was starting to cross the breaking point. "You're supposed to be thanking me for finding you this sweet loot, and here you are getting upset just looking at it! What's the big idea?!"

"Forgive me, Mondo, for I have not been honest with you!" Ishimaru said, his heart aching. "When I went up to see the surface, I did see something. A human girl more beautiful than any being on this Earth! Her ship fell to the bottom of the ocean, and I saved her from drowning!"

Mondo looked shocked. "You approached a human?" he asked. "That's not like you at all."

"She was unconscious!" Ishimaru insisted. "But I couldn't let her die down here, Mondo! She has stolen my heart!"

"Wait, are ya telling me that you're..." Mondo said, unable to finish his question.

"I have fallen in love with her!" Ishimaru said, wrapping his arms and tail around the statue. "I have tried to forget her, but my thoughts and dreams are plagued with her face and voice! I do not know what to do about this! I wish to see her, but we are forbidden to interact with humans!"

"Damn, this is pretty serious." Mondo said. "But I think I know what to do about it."

Ishimaru looked away from the marble Matsuki. "You mean you can help me? But how?" he asked.

"Come on, I'll take you to just the right guy. He'll tell us what we need to know." Mondo said, grabing the prince's arm and dragging him away. "And if not, we can come back for the statue and you can keep hugging it."

Ishimaru wondered what Mondo was doing, especially when they came across a merman with wild pink hair. What could he need from this person? The merman turned to face them, a nervous expression on his face when he saw Mondo. "Hey buddy, what can I do for you?" he asked with a shaky voice.

"You know where the sea witch is, right?" Mondo asked. "I want you to take us to her."

"Mondo, what are you thinking?!" Ishimaru said. "We are forbidden from going to the sea witch! She was exiled from our kingdom!"

"You wanna see that girl again, right?" Mondo asked, prompting Ishimaru to nod his head. "Well that's breaking one rule already. Besides, the sea witch knows just how to solve these kinds of problems, even if she's kinda crazy."

"I'm not certain about this, can we really trust a madwoman like herself?" Ishimaru asked.

"Well we won't know if we don't try!" Mondo said. "Now then, take us to where the sea witch is."

The merman gave a nervous shark-like grin. "S-sure! No problem!" He nervously guided the two into the deepest depths of the ocean. Ishimaru's nerves were starting to get the better of him. Was he really so desperate to seek the help of the craziest women he knew about? The merman stopped in front of an underwater cave surrounded by the bones of men and sea creatures. "She's in there. I'm not going in any further though, you have to deal with that on your own! I'm outta here!" With that he swam as fast as he could away from the place.

"Alright, let's head on in!" Mondo said, no fear in his eyes or voice as he swam into the cave. Ishimaru followed behind him, trying to avert his eyes from the polyps on the ground. This place was enough to induce despair. He truly was desperate to enter here. The sound of laughter echoed through the cave as they got ever closer.

They found themselves in the depths of the cave, a woman with large twintails and a crazy grin staring at them from the back. "Why helloooooooooo there!" she said. "The name's Junko, mistress of magic and despair, and sea witch extraordinaire! And you must be the king's son, Kiyotaka!"

Ishimaru nearly flinched. "H...how did you know that?" he asked.

"My naive little prince, I know everything!" Junko said. "It helps to have a sister who didn't get banished, you know. But that's not all! I also know about your little plight concerning this human princess you've fallen for!"

"You do?" Ishimaru asked.

"Oh yeah," Junko swam past Mondo and went straight into Ishimaru's face. "I know alllll about it. You saw a sweet looking princess on your first trip to the surface and fell in love with her. But being the sheltered, goody-two shoes you are, you didn't even let her see you. But you _did_ save her life and now you're dying to see her again! However, there's that little problem with the whole her having legs and you having a tail. Thankfully, I'm willing to help you out!"

"Forgive me, but what can you possibly do to solve my problem?" Ishimaru asked, unnerved by how much she knew about him.

"I ain't called the sea witch for nothing, you know!" Junko shouted, as if her whole personality had changed. "I can whip up a concoction that'll get you two to live happily ever after!" She swam over to her cauldron, throwing some kind of powder into it and urging the prince to come closer. Ishimaru hesitatingly swam over to her and looked into the cauldron, seeing figures appear in the reflection.

"You see, the problem can be easily solved." Junko said, another shift in her personality. "I can create a potion that will turn your tail into a pair of legs." A figure that looked like the prince had his tail turn into a set of legs. "The transformation will not be painless, as it will feel like a sword will have cut through you. But you will be able to walk on land like any other human. And you will have perfect grace, being able to dance like no other. However, the legs won't be perfect. It'll feel like you're stepping on knives with each step you take."

"But I'll be able to see Shizuka again, won't I?" Ishimaru asked.

"Of course you will!" Junko said with a cutesy smile. A figure of the princess walked up to the Ishimaru figure in the cauldron. "Buuuuuuut, there some risks with this potion!"

"...What kind of risks?" Ishimaru asked.

"Well for one thing, you won't be able to turn back into a merman once you take this potion." Junko stated, the cutesy smile gone. "You'll be stuck that way for the rest of your life and can't come back to the ocean. Also, you have to make sure this princess falls in love with you."

"What happens if I don't?" Ishimaru asked, holding back the urge not to.

"If your princess falls for another man, or marries someone other than you, you'll turn into seafoam as if you lived out your usual merman lifespan." Junko answered. The figure of Matsuki went into the arms of another man, leaving the Ishimaru figure to fall on the ground before disappearing. "You'll die of a broken heart the morning after their marriage! However, if you win her heart and she kisses you out of true love, you'll be a permanent human and your legs will be perfect!"

"That's all I have to do?" Ishimaru asked. The risks seemed large, but he was certain he could win her heart. She had seen him before he returned to the water, she heard him sing even! All he had to do was say that he was the red-eyed man who saved her life and he'd succeed!

"Yep, but I don't give these things away for free, you know!" Junko said. "I need payment!"

"I'm dreadfully sorry, but I don't have any money!" Ishimaru said, prompting a hearty laugh out of the sea witch.

"I don't need no fucking money!" she said. "No, no, no. A spell like this requires a hefty price that money can't pay for!"

"Then what do you require?" Ishimaru asked. He couldn't believe he was actually willing to pay for this potion.

"For something like this? I need that which you hold most dear for it to work, give and take kinda thing you know?" Junko said. "So in your case, I'd need your pretty voice!"

"My...my voice?" Ishimaru said. He wasn't a prideful person, but he was quite proud of his singing talents. "But how am I to win her heart without my voice?"

"How should I know?" Junko asked. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

Ishimaru swam over to Mondo, he needed to talk this over before he made a desicion he knew he'd regret. "Mondo, what should I do?"

"Look, I'm not that good with girls or romance, but if you like this girl then you should go after her." Mondo said. "I'll keep an eye on things if that's what you're worried about. Besides, like she said there's a ton of ways you can win her over. You don't just got your voice, after all!"

"Oh, one other thing!" They heard Junko said. "You've caught me in a fairly good mood, a rare feat, so because I'm in a good mood I'll give your voice back if you win her over! But only if you get her to kiss you!"

"Look, in the end it's your choice. I'll be there for ya no matter what ya choose." Mondo said, placing his hand on Ishimaru's shoulder.

Ishimaru smiled. He'd come this far, there was no point in backing down now. He turned back to the sea witch with a look of confidence. "Sea witch, I accept your terms!"

"Excellent!" Junko said. "Now before we do anything, you'll need to sign this contract!" She snapped her fingers, conjuring a golden piece of parchment and a quill. "There's no fine print or anything, it's just business! Once you sign this, you can't get your voice back until she kisses you. I won't be held responsible for anything that happens from here on out. So if you wanna back out, then this is your last chance!"

"I've made my choice." Ishimaru said. He took the quill and signed his name on the parchment, causing it to disappear.

"Alright! Then let's begin!" Junko said. "First thing's first, I'll take that payment!" With the flick of her finger, a smoky hand came out of her cauldron and beelined for the merman prince. It went down into Ishimaru's throat, coming out with a glowing red ball. The sea witch took an empty glass bottle and placed the glowing orb inside it. "There we go, nice and snug!"

Ishimaru tried to ask why she needed to seal it inside the bottle, but when he tried to speak no sound came from his throat. His voice was gone, just as she said. "Oh don't look so sad, you're still getting the potion. And if all goes well you'll be getting it back." Junko said. She set the bottle on a shelf and grabbed a small bottle filled with golden liquid. "Here you go, one potion to turn a tail into legs!" She handed it to the voiceless Ishimaru, who took it in his hands. This was his key to seeing Matsuki again. To being with her.

"Now before you go guzzling that down, I suggest you and corn-head here go up to the surface or close to land." Junko instructed. "Don't want you drowning, no matter how despairing that would be! Good luck with that princess or whatever. Or not, I don't really care either way! So long, princey!" As she laughed, Ishimaru and Mondo left the cave and made their way towards the surface.

They made it above water, the bottle gripped tightly in his hands as it shined under the light of the moon. This was it. If he drank this liquid, he could never return to his underwater home. His father, his grandfather, his friends, he was leaving them all behind for a chance at being with this girl. But compared to feeling alone and heartbroken, it was a price he was willing to pay.

"You ready for this, man?" Mondo asked. Ishimaru nodded. He made his choice, and he was going to stick through to the end. He opened the bottle, drinking the liquid down to the last drop. At first, he felt nothing. Was it all a joke? But an instant later he felt a sharp pain course through him. The pain felt unbearable, as if he were being cut through with a sword just as the sea witch had said. He could not scream in pain though, but his expression seemed to convey what his words couldn't if Mondo's reaction was anything. The pain was too much for him to handle. He felt his consciousness slip away as he felt Mondo's arm wrap around him.

Mondo looked at the unconscious prince, wondering just what pain Ishimaru had just gone through. He raised him above the water, finding that his tail was truly gone. Instead there was a pair of legs. The sea witch delivered on her word. "Shit, why'd he have to pass out though?" he said to himself. Ishimaru in hand, he made his way to shore. Someone had to make sure he got there. "This better be worth it..."

\-------------------------------------

Matsuki finally had the chance to return to the beach on her own. Many times since the night she was rescued she had come here in hopes of finding her savior. The man with red eyes and the beautiful voice. She knew he wasn't a dream, he had to be real. But the beach was her only clue, so she returned here constantly in the hopes of seeing him again. She had to find him, she just had to. "Where could he be?" she asked herself.

As she walked down the shoreline, she noticed something lying against the water's edge. Or rather, someone. A person was lying on the sand, and he looked to be unconscious. Her good heart unable to see someone in pain, she rushed over to him and begged God that he was still alive. She got down on her knees, and began shaking his naked body with the hopes that she'd get a response. "Sir?! Are you alright?! Please, wake up!" she cried out.

As if by a miracle, his eyes began to flutter open...


	2. Chapter 2

A voice called out to Ishimaru, waking him up from his deep sleep. Not just any voice, but the voice of the princess who had stolen his heart away. He tried to ignore it, it had to be another dream that he would wake up from and sob over. But the words became clearer, and he realized what she was saying. "Please, wake up!"

Slowly his eyes fluttered open, and he could make out her face looking down at him. As his senses returned to him, he felt the sand underneath him and felt something strange about his lower half. Matsuki let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness, you're alright!" she said. Ishimaru sat up, looking down to see that his tail was gone. It was replaced by a set of legs. So it wasn't a dream. He really was human! "Are you alright, sir?" Matsuki's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked up at her with a smile on his face. She looked shocked, her hands over her mouth. "Wait a second..." she said. She got closer to him, taking a careful look at his face. After a moment of staring him over, she spoke.

"I knew it! I knew you were real!" she said, a smile spreading across her lips. She took his hands into her own. "You're the one who saved me aren't you! The boy with the red eyes and handsome voice! It has to be you, isn't it!"

She could tell who he was! This was perfect! Ishimaru opened his mouth to answer her, but no words came out. He had forgotten that he gave his voice away as payment in his excitement. Matsuki's smile disappeared along with his own. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Can't you tell me?" Ishimaru shook his head and gestured to his throat, hoping that she'd get the message. "...You can't speak?" she said, understanding what he was trying to say. He nodded his head, looking down at the ground.

"Oh, I see..." Matsuki said, looking away from him in disappointment. "I'm sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else. It's just, I could've sworn that you were..." Both of them looked disappointed. Ishimaru hoped there would still be a way to tell her the truth. "Oh well. I can't just leave you here." she said, trying to smile again, but Ishimaru could tell it was forced. "My name is Shizuka Matsuki, I'm the princess of this kingdom. You must've been washed up from a shipwreck. Can you tell me where you're from?"

Ishimaru shook his head. He couldn't tell her that he was from the ocean. All he could do was look out at the waters. Matsuki looked where his gaze followed. "You're not from around here, I'm guessing." she said. Well, she wasn't wrong. Ishimaru nodded his head. "In that case, why don't you stay with me in my castle? There's plenty of room, and I could enjoy the company." Ishimaru's eyes lit up and he nodded his head. Matsuki smiled genuinely and giggled a little. "You're sure enthusiastic, aren't you?" she asked. "Well, let's get going then. I'll lead the way."

She stood up and waited for Ishimaru to do the same. Ishimaru paniced. He may have had legs, but he had no idea how to use them! That sea witch didn't tell him anything about how they worked! Regardless, he tried to stand up slowly. His legs shook as he tried to raise himself, struggling to balance himself while also dealing with the pain in his legs. After it seemed like he got the hang of standing, he slipped and began to fall forward. Matsuki acted quickly, catching him before he fell to the ground. "Woah, careful!" she said as she held the strange mute boy in her arms. The two looked each other in the eyes for a moment before Matsuki nervously looked away. "Y-you must be disoriented from the shipwreck!" she said. "I'll help you get there, just hold on to me as you walk, alright?"

Ishimaru grinned, and nodded his head. "Okay, just hang on there and we'll be at the castle in a moment. Then we can...um...get some clothes on you..." Matsuki said, her face going red. Ishimaru cocked his head to the side in confusion. Was there something wrong about him not wearing clothes? Humans were interesting, yet strange. He kept hold of her as they walked away from the beach, ignoring the sharp pain by reminding himself that he was by Matsuki's side. He could do this.

Watching from the waters hidden from sight was Mondo, relieved that his friend was in good hands. "Knowing him though, he'll probably do something stupid." he said to himself. "Someone's got to keep an eye on him, I guess."

\-----------------------------------

"Servants, we have a guest who'll be staying with us for a while." Matsuki said upon entering the castle. "Bring him to one of the spare rooms and fit him with some clothes. He's a bit disoriented, so he'll need some help getting there."

Ishimaru couldn't believe how large the castle was. It was nothing like the undersea palace he had lived in his whole life. A sudden pang of regret swept over him. He never said goodbye to his friends or family. He would never see them again. Surely Mondo would explain what happened to them, but he felt guilty for not telling them. Now he never could.

"What's wrong?" Matsuki asked him. Ishimaru just looked down at the floor. He had no way to explain to her what was wrong. "Oh, it's not something you're willing to talk about. It's fine, I get it. If you ever want to though, you can tell me." Matsuki said, holding his hand. Ishimaru just smiled back, his head still facing down but his eyes looking over at her. He looked up to see two young men standing in front of them.

"Well, take your time getting settled in, I know this is probably a lot to take in after all. My servants will take you to your room, and help you with anything you need. I do hope I can see you at dinner though. If you need me before then, feel free to come find me." Matsuki said. She helped Ishimaru get to the servants. "I'll see you at dinner!" she said as she walked away. Ishimaru just waved back at her with dialated eyes.

"Come on sir, we need to take you to your quarters." One of the servants, a boy with messy hair that looked almost blonde, said. Ishimaru followed them through the corridors, his ability to walk beginning to improve. They brought him to a fancy room filled with things he had never seen before. He recognized the bed, but the other furniture was foreign to him. He sat himself down on the bed, giving his legs a chance to rest. The sea witch wasn't kidding when she said it would feel like stepping on knives. But once he got Matsuki to kiss him, he wouldn't have to worry about the pain. The servants opened up a strange box with doors, revealing a number of outfits. "There are plenty of clothes here in this closet," The servant said. "You may choose whatever you wish to wear." The two of them made their way to the exit. "We'll leave you to get dressed, sir. Don't forget to take a pair of shoes as well."

Shoes? What were shoes? Ishimaru didn't have the chance to ask before they both left, shutting the door behind them. He stood up, able to keep his balance now, and slowly made his way to the thing they called a "closet". From the fact that all the humans he had seen were wearing these things, he figured that he was supposed to wear them. He took no time picking out an outfit that was almost completely white. He found a mirror to look into and found himself looking regal. He smiled at the reflection, so this is what he looked like as a human. He returned to the closet, trying to figure out what the shoes were. Even if he could speak, he wouldn't dare go ask what shoes were. He wanted to fit in, not be seen as an outcast. At the bottom of the closet, he saw strange pieces of clothing that looked like they went on his feet. Were these the shoes? Shrugging his shoulders, he placed them on.

The feeling of the clothing against his skin was strange, but he figured it was something he would get used to. He looked around the room, noticing a set of doors that led to a balcony. Walking over there, which thankfully he was starting to get then hang of, he opened the doors and stepped out onto the balcony. The wind blew in his face as he looked out over the sea. The castle, and his room for that matter, weren't too far from his old home. He surveyed the area, taking in all these new and strange sights the human world had to offer. He glanced down at the water, noticing something familiar looking at him.

Not too far away from the castle was Mondo. The merman swam closer so that he could speak. "Hey, you doin' alright up there?" he shouted. Ishimaru nodded his head. "Good ta hear! I'll be popping in every now and then to check up on you! Just meet me out here whenever you get the chance! Good luck with that Shizuka chick!" He waved goodbye and swam off. Ishimaru walked back inside.

\--------------------------------------

"So you're telling me that you found this guy, who can't speak and looks like the hallucination you had when you washed up on shore, brought him back here, and told him he could stay?" Chisato asked after dinner.

"Well what else was I supposed to do? I couldn't just leave him there!" Matsuki said.

"He could've been dangerous though!" Chisato said. "For all we know this guy could be crazy, and I wouldn't be surprised with the way I've seen him act."

"Oh come on, Chisato. You can't mean that." Matsuki said.

"Shizuka, he tried to comb his hair with a _fork_. Normal people don't do that." Chisato said.

"I'll admit, the fork thing was kind of strange." Matsuki said. "But he could just be suffering from some head injuries after his ship crashed! He could barely stand when I found him!"

"It must've been a hard hit to the head then." Chisato said.

"Chisato, please, just give him a chance!" Matsuki said. "He isn't dangerous, I swear."

"He'll have to prove it to me then." Chisato said. "However, him being here does seem to be lifting your mood."

Matsuki blinked in shock. "He is?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? This is the happiest I've seen you in weeks." Chisato responded. "I haven't seen you laugh in a long time before today."

Matsuki looked away. "I don't know what it is, but something about him just makes me feel at ease." she said. "Maybe it's because the palace feels so big and lonely, and him being here makes it feel less so."

"Well any improvement to your mood is better than nothing." Chisato said. "So I guess he can stay, but one wrong move and he's out of here!"

"That won't happen, I just know it." Matsuki insisted.

\-----------------------------------------

The next day, Matsuki took her new companion with her to see the sights of her kingdom. Everything about it entranced Ishimaru. He'd never seen anything like the town or the forests, causing him to act almost like a young child. He practically dragged Matsuki around the place. Matsuki managed to settle him down, commenting that he acted like he'd never been in a town before. His body language confirming that suspicion.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were so sheltered." Matsuki said, hanging her head low. Ishimaru walked over to her and tilted her head up by her chin. He looked into her eyes and gave her a sympathetic smile. He tried to tell her that she didn't need to apologize, it wasn't her fault. The message seemed to get across, as the princess smiled again. "You're right, it was only an accident." she said.

The two of them walked down the streets side by side, coming to a bridge overlooking a river. Ishimaru noticed Mondo hiding in the water underneath the bridge, just out of Matsuki's sight. "You know, I still don't know what your name is. I feel bad not knowing what it is." Matsuki said as she stopped in the middle of the bridge. "I need to call you something, don't I? But how do I figure out your name?" She stood in thought for a moment. "Maybe I can guess it! How about...Hideki?" Ishimaru shook his head. "Okay, that's not it..." Matsuki nervously laughed. "Is it Jirou? Minoru? Izumi?"

"His frickin' name is Kiyotaka!" A male voice seemed to mutter, despite the fact that only her and Ishimaru were there.

"...Kiyotaka?" she guessed, figuring there wasn't anything to lose. Ishimaru grinned and nodded as he took her hand into his own. "Really?" Matsuki asked in shock, prompting another nod from the mute boy. "Kiyotaka... I like it. Alright then, I guess I'm calling you Kiyotaka."

\------------------------------------

The days passed, and Ishimaru became a constant companion to the princess. The two of them did everything together, and even though he couldn't speak, Ishimaru had ways of communicating with her. It helped that he was slowly learning how to write and read the human language, but he prefered not to use it. Every moment they were together, Matsuki was happy. Chisato and the castle servants all noted how much of a drastic change his presence had brought to her. The once lonely and melancholy girl had changed for the better because of him. Yet she hadn't kissed him, or proclaimed her love for him. Was he doing something wrong? Or was she just unsure how to express her feelings? He had no way of knowing.

But even with his presence, her mood didn't completely change. Every now and then, some prince from another kingdom would travel to the castle and ask for her hand in marriage. Ishimaru didn't like these princes, and he would glare at them every chance he got. Thankfully for him, Matsuki would turn all of them down. She told him about how her father's health was declining, so he was hoping to find a husband for her. But she didn't want to marry any of them, for she didn't love them. Ishimaru hoped that his time would come, but one prince didn't leave. A young man who called himself Arata had arrived, and Matsuki's father insisted that he stay for a while. Ishimaru couldn't stand him. He was self-centered and conceited, and while most of her potential suitors had at least treated him with respect, Arata didn't. "So you're the mute whom the princess took pity on? Heh, I didn't think she would keep such a strange pet." Those were the words he said to him when they first met, and they solidified Ishimaru's hatred for him.

Matsuki didn't seem to like him either. Every time Ishimaru saw them together, she looked positively miserable. It was common for her to go straight to Ishimaru after spending time with Prince Arata, at least one instance she looked like she was nearly in tears. The way he treated him didn't fall on deaf ears, she knew just how horribly he treated the mute boy. Ishimaru continued to stay by her side, unafraid that she would be taken from him. Sure, he was still clumsy, couldn't speak, and didn't completely fit in with the other humans, but this real human didn't have any chance.

At least, that's what he hoped.

"Kiyotaka, I need to talk to you." Matsuki said one day as the two of them were spending time at the beach. "You already know that my father wants me to find a husband, and he said I have to choose soon." Ishimaru's eyes lit up, was she going to say what he hoped she would? "...The problem is, my father wants me to marry Prince Arata since there's no one else left." No, it couldn't be. "I don't want to marry him, but my father doesn't see how awful he is. And considering I can't find the boy who saved my life..."

Ishimaru began to panic, if she married Arata then he'd die! But he couldn't tell her the truth. He placed his hands on her shoulders, desperation in his eyes as he shook his head. She couldn't marry him, she just couldn't! The one she was looking for was him! Even if she didn't know it was him, surely she'd want to marry him more than that horrible prince! "I know, you don't like him either, but there isn't a choice." she said. No, no, no, that's not what he meant! "I'm to announce my choice tonight on my father's ship. Even if you don't approve of him, I'd still like you to be there with me. I'd be more comfortable that way." There had to be a way for him to tell her, he couldn't give up! He tried making gestures to suggest that she choose him over Arata, pointing at himself and then her and clasping his hands together as if he were begging.

"...Of course we can still hang out together, Kiyotaka." Matsuki said. No no no no no, that's not what he meant! "I was hoping you'd have more objections to this but...I guess not." She looked away with a frown on her face. "Well, I'll see you later tonight, okay?" She faked a smile and made her way back to the castle, but Ishimaru didn't follow her. He remained on the beach, falling to his knees and beginning to cry. He was so close! He was that close to being her husband! But now it was impossible, he risked everything only to have it taken away from him. The morning after Matsuki was married to Arata, he'd become nothing but sea foam and die without a trace. If he could scream, he'd be screaming at the top of his lungs. But all he could do was let his tears fall in silence.

Hidden from sight, Mondo heard and saw everything. There was no way he was gonna take this sitting down, he had to do something. He dived back into the water, hoping he still had a chance to salvage this.

That evening on the boat, Ishimaru sulked by himself. He couldn't enjoy the festivities, the music, the food, any of it. He couldn't even face Matsuki. He just stood there away from everyone else. He knew he should try to celebrate and have fun, this would be the last night he had to do so after all, but the realization that he lost everything he worked for made him unable to enjoy anything. He couldn't even pretend to do so. All hope was lost for him. Looking out at the waters, he saw three familiar faces as they came closer. Mondo, Leon, and Chihiro were waiting below him, but something was different. Their hair was gone, ruined. But how did this happen?

"Oi, don't give up just yet!" Mondo said. "We gave our hair to the sea witch so she could make something to save you!" The merman threw something out of the water, Ishimaru acting quickly to catch it. In his hands he now held a silver knife with sharp edges, a tint of red across the blade. What was he meant to do with this?

"All you gotta do is stab that princess's heart with that knife, let the blood drip on your legs, and it'll become a tail again!" Leon said. "You can become a merman again, you can save yourself from turning into foam!"

"You just have to do it before the morning after her wedding!" Chihiro said. "You or her must die by that morning!"

Ishimaru could only stare at the knife in his hands. Kill Matsuki? Could he really do such a thing? Would he really kill her so he could return to the ocean once more? He glanced over to the other end of the ship, where Matsuki stood with Chisato. Even though she was faking her smile, she still looked beautiful. She introduced him to her own world and saw him as her dearest friend. He had left his old world behind just to be with her. He looked back at the knife, tears dropping against it. He threw the knife away into the ocean. He got himself into this mess and he wasn't about to get out of it. Especially if it meant he had to sacrifice the life of the one he loved. If he had to die, then so be it. Leon and Chihiro looked at each other, figuring this was a lost cause, and returned under the ocean. Mondo however, didn't.

"What are ya, crazy?!" he shouted. "You're just gonna let yourself turn to seafoam over this chick?!"

Ishimaru ignored his words. He had lost all hope. The ocean waves grew stronger as they hit the edge of the ship. Maybe it would be best if he just died now. He couldn't bear to watch Matsuki get married to some other man. He stood up on the railing of the ship, preparing to throw himself over the edge. If he was lucky, he'd turn into seafoam then and there. If he wasn't, he could just drown like any human would.

Mondo's eyes went wide. He wasn't serious was he?! "Kiyotaka, don't do it!" he called out, hoping he could knock some sense into him.

"Kiyotaka? Where are you?" Matsuki said, unable to find her friend since she saw him on the beach. She searched the entire deck, spotting Ishimaru standing on the edge of the ship ready to jump. Her heart raced, what was he doing?! "Kiyotaka! Stop!" she called out as she ran over to where he stood. Before he could jump, she grabbed hold of his arm. "Kiyotaka, please! Don't jump!" Tears were beginning to cloud her vision as she desperately tried to stop him.

Ishimaru stopped for a moment, what could he do? Matsuki got on top of the railing in the hopes of reasoning with him. "Kiyotaka, why are you trying to jump?! I need you here!" Before he had the chance to respond, a strong wave hit the ship, causing both of them to lose their balance and fall into the water. A group of people saw it happen, and there were cries for someone to get a boat out to save them.

Ishimaru resurfaced with no problem, even as a human he could swim nearly as good as he did with a tail, but Matsuki was nowhere to be found. He dived back under and spotted her falling down into the depths. Acting fast, he swam down and carried her up, not noticing the realization in her eyes. The two resurfaced as Matsuki coughed out water. She looked at Ishimaru, who placed a hand on her cheek, and realized exactly who he was. "...Kiyotaka, you are the one who saved me, aren't you?" she asked. "The way you dived down and saved me just now, it was just like before. You saved me again, didn't you?"

Ishimaru nodded his head. She knew who he was now, his hope returned to him. "That's why I felt so comfortable around you, why I was hoping you'd object to my marrying Arata. Because I knew it was you the whole time!" Matsuki said, relieved at the news. "I can't ask Arata to marry me now. Kiyotaka, will you marry me?" Ishimaru nodded his head again, startled by the sudden kiss Matsuki proceeded to give him. But with that kiss...

A bright light shined in between them, startling them both to break off the kiss. "What just happened?" Matsuki asked.

"I'm not so sure myself." Ishimaru said, shocking Matsuki and making her gasp.

"You can talk?!" she said.

Ishimaru nervously laughed. "There's a lot I need to tell you, Shizuka." he said.

A small boat paddled up to them as the two of them were grabbed out of the water. "What were you two doing up there?!" Chisato asked. "You two could've gotten yourselves killed!"

"It's alright, Chisato! We're fine!" Matsuki said. "Kiyotaka saved me, he's the man who rescued me from drowning the first time! I told you he was real! Isn't that right, Kiyotaka?"

"It's completely true!" Ishimaru said, his voice returned to him. "I'm the one who saved Shizuka's life!"

Everyone but Matsuki stared at him in shock at hearing him speak. "He can talk now?!" Chisato exclaimed. "Why is he talking now?!"

"That's kind of a long story..." Ishimaru said.

"Maybe we should get back on the boat first? Before another large wave strikes?" Matsuki suggested as she took hold of Ishimaru's hand.

Chisato just slapped her hand against her face. Sometimes she wondered what was wrong with these people. As she looked out at the water, she froze for a second when she saw someone in the water staring back at her. He seemed to give her a snarky grin before diving underwater, and she thought she saw a tail stick out of the water. She had no idea if it was real or if the stress was getting to her. Considering everything she had just witnessed though, she wouldn't be surprised if it was real.

Upon making it back on board, Matsuki announced her marriage to Ishimaru. When they returned to the castle, Ishimaru told her everything about how he got there. How he was originally a merman, how he fell in love with her the night of the storm, how he gave up his voice to gain a pair of legs, everything. He was surprised that she was so accepting about it, all she said was that it explained a lot about when they first met. She didn't care who he was, she loved him and that was what mattered.

The two of them got married out on the sea, and Ishimaru had managed to get his friends to come out for the celebration. Matsuki was shocked to see actual merpeople, though not as shocked as Chisato. It was a happy day for them both, and they were certain to live happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I bs'd the ending but I DON'T CARE.
> 
> I'm not even done with this yet, because now I have to write the SUPER SPECIAL ALTERNATE ENDING. COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU!
> 
> Ishimaru combing his hair with a fork is something I want to see. Someone draw that for me please.

**Author's Note:**

> So I had an idea to write a Little Mermaid IshiMatsu story, but I decided to add my own twist to it. So I had them swap roles. Instead of a mermaid trying to win the heart of a young prince, we have a merman trying to win the heart of a young princess!
> 
> Now I'm taking inspiration and influences from three different versions of the story in particular, the ones I saw when growing up to be specific, though I have put in a few things from some other versions I've found fairly recently. I'll mention which ones they are later. All I'll say here is that there will be a happy ending and an alternate ending. I've put these two through enough in canon so they deserve a happy ending here.


End file.
